DIY center console / glove box LED lighting mod

[Lex Talionis]

Here you go.. my latest project - another first of it's kind. It has irked me for some time that when I open the center console, anything below the top inch is invisible in pitch black. Similar with the glove box, impossible to see into at night. So, I solved it by wiring up cool LED lights into my center console AND the glove box. Pretty sweet mod that worked out exactly as I planned. Should have been stock in my opinion. But hey, solved the Vista roof light issue, so solved this one as well.

 

 

PRODUCTS USED

 

In searching for little LED lights, I found some awesome ones - in black - for motorcycles on ebay. Very affordable. came as a pair. I also got some plunger pin style courtesy dome/door light activation switches off ebay. They came as white, I primed and painted those black. I also dremmeled down the one for the center console as the lip was too round and I just cut off extra material for a better ft. In total, this is about $34 in parts and 1-1.5 hour of time. Results seem to be well worth it.

 

CENTER CONSOLE

 

I mounted the light in the drivers side corner of the center console so it aims into the console. could do it either side, but this worked for me. means I can never put the little moveable change holder nearest me, but that is fine for me. I keep it on the pass side anyway so I can look into the center console. I drilled a hole for it and slid the wires down. I accessed the wires by pulling off the rear passenger vent panel and viola, right there is ground and power with the rear cig lighter port! perfect! I then drilled the hold for the plunger on the opposite side up at the lip of the console so the plunger is activated as the door closes. I had to dremmel this hole wider as the light in switch is wider than the bit I had an dremmel allowed for more precision. I then wired up ground to switch from ground at cig lighter, ground out of switch to LED light, power back to cig lighter. this way, the switch brakes the connection when console shuts.

 

GLOVE BOX

 

On this one, I mounted the LED light in the upper left corner aiming down. it moves in and out with the door open/close as it is mounted to door. I put the plunger switch on the opposite side (pass) and placed it right in line with the rubber foot so the rubber foot would reach the plunger and push it closed. as above, used dremmel to get perfect tight fit. I ran ground from switch to the frame rail you can see right inside the glove box where the glove box wire spool is attached that allows the box to open slow and smooth. as a matter of fact, perfect hole right there to bolt wire into to get ground. then ran ground out from switch to the LED and I tapped power into the cig lighter near the front cubby hole. to access it, I pulled the center NAV/climate control panel away and wired right into the cig lighter power wire.

 

 

Enjoy the photos....

 

 

[Mark Camilleri]

Here you go.. my latest project - another first of it's kind. It has irked me for some time that when I open the center console, anything below the top inch is invisible in pitch black. Similar with the glove box, impossible to see into at night. So, I solved it by wiring up cool LED lights into my center console AND the glove box. Pretty sweet mod that worked out exactly as I planned. Should have been stock in my opinion. But hey, solved the Vista roof light issue, so solved this one as well.

 

 

PRODUCTS USED

 

In searching for little LED lights, I found some awesome ones - in black - for motorcycles on ebay. Very affordable. came as a pair. I also got some plunger pin style courtesy dome/door light activation switches off ebay. They came as white, I primed and painted those black. I also dremmeled down the one for the center console as the lip was too round and I just cut off extra material for a better ft. In total, this is about $34 in parts and 1-1.5 hour of time. Results seem to be well worth it.

 

CENTER CONSOLE

 

I mounted the light in the drivers side corner of the center console so it aims into the console. could do it either side, but this worked for me. means I can never put the little moveable change holder nearest me, but that is fine for me. I keep it on the pass side anyway so I can look into the center console. I drilled a hole for it and slid the wires down. I accessed the wires by pulling off the rear passenger vent panel and viola, right there is ground and power with the rear cig lighter port! perfect! I then drilled the hold for the plunger on the opposite side up at the lip of the console so the plunger is activated as the door closes. I had to dremmel this hole wider as the light in switch is wider than the bit I had an dremmel allowed for more precision. I then wired up ground to switch from ground at cig lighter, ground out of switch to LED light, power back to cig lighter. this way, the switch brakes the connection when console shuts.

 

GLOVE BOX

 

On this one, I mounted the LED light in the upper left corner aiming down. it moves in and out with the door open/close as it is mounted to door. I put the plunger switch on the opposite side (pass) and placed it right in line with the rubber foot so the rubber foot would reach the plunger and push it closed. as above, used dremmel to get perfect tight fit. I ran ground from switch to the frame rail you can see right inside the glove box where the glove box wire spool is attached that allows the box to open slow and smooth. as a matter of fact, perfect hole right there to bolt wire into to get ground. then ran ground out from switch to the LED and I tapped power into the cig lighter near the front cubby hole. to access it, I pulled the center NAV/climate control panel away and wired right into the cig lighter power wire.

 

 

Enjoy the photos....

 

 

 

 

SOCAL.........

 

I want to put HID lights on my 09 EDGE, I saw that you installed it aswell; I have 2 questions.

 

1) Is it hard to install, is there an excessive amount of electricle and

2) Will this void my warranty?

 

Thanks,

 

COOL WHIP!!!!

[Lex Talionis]

Mark - if you search here for HID lighting, numerous threads will come up that fully discuss it. no reason to rehash here. no, it is not hard, I think very easy.. just plug and play (unless you have DRLs and that presents another layer of install that is more difficult - but in USA, most of us do not have DRL as they are not turned on at factory). No, will not void warranty. As I said, previous threads will cover everything you ever wanted to know about HID for the Edge from photos, install steps, bulb temps, electronic ballasts, where to buy, where to mount, DRL resistor/capacitor issues, blah blah blah

[PSUFetch]

If anyone is looking to do this exact modification, the lights that Lex used are in fact for motorcycles like Lex posted. More specifically they are license plate mounting bolts with the LED's built in. That should make it easier to find online. They are used to replace the ugly light and mounting brackets on motorcycles (especially sport bikes).

[Orion]

SOCAL.........

 

I want to put HID lights on my 09 EDGE, I saw that you installed it aswell; I have 2 questions.

 

1) Is it hard to install, is there an excessive amount of electricle and

2) Will this void my warranty?

 

Thanks,

 

COOL WHIP!!!!

 

Check this thread:

 

http://www.fordedgeforum.com/index.php?sho...60&start=60

[LivingEdgey]

Here you go.. my latest project - another first of it's kind. It has irked me for some time that when I open the center console, anything below the top inch is invisible in pitch black. Similar with the glove box, impossible to see into at night. So, I solved it by wiring up cool LED lights into my center console AND the glove box. Pretty sweet mod that worked out exactly as I planned. Should have been stock in my opinion. But hey, solved the Vista roof light issue, so solved this one as well.

 

 

PRODUCTS USED

 

In searching for little LED lights, I found some awesome ones - in black - for motorcycles on ebay. Very affordable. came as a pair. I also got some plunger pin style courtesy dome/door light activation switches off ebay. They came as white, I primed and painted those black. I also dremmeled down the one for the center console as the lip was too round and I just cut off extra material for a better ft. In total, this is about $34 in parts and 1-1.5 hour of time. Results seem to be well worth it.

 

CENTER CONSOLE

 

I mounted the light in the drivers side corner of the center console so it aims into the console. could do it either side, but this worked for me. means I can never put the little moveable change holder nearest me, but that is fine for me. I keep it on the pass side anyway so I can look into the center console. I drilled a hole for it and slid the wires down. I accessed the wires by pulling off the rear passenger vent panel and viola, right there is ground and power with the rear cig lighter port! perfect! I then drilled the hold for the plunger on the opposite side up at the lip of the console so the plunger is activated as the door closes. I had to dremmel this hole wider as the light in switch is wider than the bit I had an dremmel allowed for more precision. I then wired up ground to switch from ground at cig lighter, ground out of switch to LED light, power back to cig lighter. this way, the switch brakes the connection when console shuts.

 

GLOVE BOX

 

On this one, I mounted the LED light in the upper left corner aiming down. it moves in and out with the door open/close as it is mounted to door. I put the plunger switch on the opposite side (pass) and placed it right in line with the rubber foot so the rubber foot would reach the plunger and push it closed. as above, used dremmel to get perfect tight fit. I ran ground from switch to the frame rail you can see right inside the glove box where the glove box wire spool is attached that allows the box to open slow and smooth. as a matter of fact, perfect hole right there to bolt wire into to get ground. then ran ground out from switch to the LED and I tapped power into the cig lighter near the front cubby hole. to access it, I pulled the center NAV/climate control panel away and wired right into the cig lighter power wire.

Hey Lex,

Sweet setup you came up with.

I doubt if I will do the glove box as I generally won't use it, but the center console is a whole another deal. That thing is like the bat cave it is so deep and dark!

Thanks for the pics.

Edited October 17, 2009 by LivingEdgey

[Lex Talionis]

thanks.. yes, that center console is a cavern no doubt. this is one of the more useful mods. I do not use the glove box much at all either. Since I am the driver, I keep what I need close & in the center console.. BUT I was on a roll and the LEDs come in a pair - so why not. either way, it is useful. once you've done it, you will be shocked at the difference and just how dark that center console is.

[jscavo]

you could get one of these if you have the USB in the center console. flash drive & light

 

http://www.gadget4all.com/prod_detail.php?prod_id=00343

[wkevingossett]

you could get one of these if you have the USB in the center console. flash drive & light

 

http://www.gadget4all.com/prod_detail.php?prod_id=00343

 

Most people with the USB in the center console have it already occupied by an iPod or other media player... and besides, why would you want something that bulky when you could have something much more aesthetically pleasing and stock looking? Plus, the description of that flash drive never says anything about the light actually lighting up. Only that there is a "red LED indicator"

[jscavo]

meant to be a gag response.

 

 

Is there any benefit using a 1g iPod over a 1g flash drive in the Edge for music?

Edited October 20, 2009 by jscavo

[akirby]

meant to be a gag response.

 

 

Is there any benefit using a 1g iPod over a 1g flash drive in the Edge for music?

 

I think you only get voice control with the iPod and not with the flash drive, but I could be wrong.

[TN_Yank]

I think you only get voice control with the iPod and not with the flash drive, but I could be wrong.

I use both a 4 gig thumb drive and a 4 gig mp3 player hooked up to the USB port and get full functionality with both. As far as I know the only difference is that the thumb drive won't play protected media, but then again neither will some mp3 players.

[akirby]

I use both a 4 gig thumb drive and a 4 gig mp3 player hooked up to the USB port and get full functionality with both. As far as I know the only difference is that the thumb drive won't play protected media, but then again neither will some mp3 players.

 

You are correct.

[wilsons66604]

I'm planning on adding some lighting to the glove compartment as well as adding a light directly into my liftgate door. I'm going to be doing this within the next couple of weeks and will post videos of both installs. I'll post a reply here when it's completed.

Great!

I wasn't too interested in the puddle lamp upgrades but the console & liftgate sounds interesting.

 

Thanks for posting!